Robert Brokamp

Sean, welcome to Motley Fool Money.

Robert, thanks so much for having me.

So the title of your book highlights early retirement.

So in your mind, what makes someone an early retiree and what, if anything, should they be doing differently?

These days, we read a lot about the benefits of Roth accounts, which result in higher taxes today, but qualified withdrawals are tax-free in retirement.

However, in your book, you make the case that many workers really should first turn to that pre-tax traditional work-based retirement account.

You have some great illustrations in the book of how folks who are retired, particularly over age 65, because they get the higher standard deduction, they got the new senior deduction from the one big beautiful bill, how you could have a surprisingly high amount of income and pay a surprisingly low tax rate.

You have particular illustrations of couples who are making, say, $250,000.

And that puts them in, while they're working, say, the 24% tax bracket.

You contribute to that pre-tax account.

You're getting that deduction on 24%.

But then in retirement, their effective tax rate is like 12% to 15%.

So, of course, in that situation, it makes total sense to take the deduction sooner and then pay taxes at that lower rate in retirement.

You highlighted a couple of things that people often will bring up as a reason to have more Roth assets.

One is RMDs, Required Minimum Distributions.

The other is IRMA, income-related monthly adjustment amount for Medicare.

But as you point out at the book, when you actually calculate those amounts as a percentage of the overall portfolio and the withdrawal, they're probably more of a nuisance than anything else.

Well, this has been a great conversation.

Sean, thanks so much for joining us.

It's time to get it done, fools.